Step Into Your Power: Pearls of Wisdom From the PWH Leadership Summit

| Eryn Veronesi

Step Into Your Power: Pearls of Wisdom from the PWH Leadership Summit

By: Eryn Veronesi


The PWH Leadership Summit's "Step Into Your Power: Mentor Circle for Growth, Change, and Impact" session, hosted by the PWH Mentoring Committee, brought together leaders and professionals to discuss some of the most important challenges and opportunities we face in our careers: navigating change, advocating for ourselves, managing conflict, and growing as leaders through mentoring.

Across all four discussion topics—Resiliency and Leading Through Change, Finding Your Voice and Negotiating with Confidence, Turning Conflict into Collaboration, and Leadership Growth Through Mentoring—a consistent message emerged: growth happens when we embrace discomfort, stay curious, and actively support one another.

Embracing Change with Resilience

Change often brings uncertainty, resistance, and frustration, but effective leaders recognize that resilience is built through adaptability. Participants emphasized the importance of being honest and transparent throughout periods of change, helping teams understand not only what is happening but why it matters.

One pearl of wisdom was to focus energy on what can be controlled rather than dwelling on what cannot. Listening to concerns, encouraging feedback, and helping others navigate uncertainty can transform resistance into progress. As one participant noted, sometimes the best approach is to "take a beat," understand the broader picture, and become a champion for change rather than an obstacle to it.

Finding Your Voice and Knowing Your Value

The discussion on negotiation challenged the misconception that negotiation is confrontational. Instead, participants reframed it as communication, collaboration, and self-advocacy.

A recurring theme was the importance of understanding and articulating your value. Whether seeking a new opportunity, requesting resources, or discussing career growth, preparation and confidence matter. Participants were reminded that no one can advocate for their career better than they can.

Powerful reminders included:

  • Know your strengths and be prepared to communicate them.

  • Ask for what you need—if you don't ask, the answer will always be no.

  • Be comfortable with silence and thoughtful pauses during important conversations.

  • Recognize that rejection is part of growth and learning.

  • Advocate not only for yourself, but also for your team members and colleagues.

Turning Conflict into Collaboration

Conflict is often viewed as something to avoid, but participants challenged that perspective by focusing on collaboration rather than compromise.

The group discussed how compromise can leave everyone feeling like they've given something up, while collaboration creates solutions where everyone has a voice and feels invested in the outcome. A pearl of wisdom was recognizing that we rarely see the full picture. When disagreements arise, asking questions and seeking context can uncover perspectives, priorities, and challenges that may not be immediately visible.

Leaders can play an important role by creating safe spaces for difficult conversations, helping teams move beyond assumptions and toward understanding. Sometimes the most powerful question is simply:

"Can you take me through what I can't see?"

Growing Through Mentoring

Underlying every conversation was the impact of mentoring on leadership development. Whether navigating change, building confidence, overcoming challenges, or managing conflict, mentors and peer networks provide guidance, perspective, and support that accelerate growth.

Leadership is not a destination—it's a continuous journey of learning, reflection, and development. Mentoring helps individuals build authentic leadership skills while creating opportunities to support the growth of others.

Stay Involved

The conversations started at the Leadership Summit don't have to end there. The PWH Mentoring Committee encourages all members to stay engaged through our Mentor/Mentee Program and Mentor Circle Program where we’ll continue to build on these pearls of wisdom.

Whether you're looking to learn from others, expand your network, share your experiences, or help develop future leaders, there is a place for you in our mentoring community. Step into your power. Become a mentor. Become a mentee. Join a Mentor Circle. Together, we can continue to grow, lead, and make a lasting impact.